CIH responds to BBC Panorama investigation, The Big Housing Rip-Off

On 19 October, the BBC aired Panorama: The Great Housing Rip-off, shining a spotlight on an issue that CIH and many in the housing sector have campaigned on for years: the exploitation of loopholes by rogue landlords who profit from inadequate housing and support, often at the expense of vulnerable residents and the public purse 

At its best, supported housing provides a safe home for more than 600,000 people across the UK, from older residents and people with long-term health conditions to those escaping homelessness, domestic abuse or mental ill health. The abuses highlighted by Panorama are concentrated in a small but damaging corner of the sector, particularly within short-term and transitional accommodation. The wider picture is that many high-quality providers are struggling to survive after years of underinvestment, while rogue operators continue to exploit gaps in regulation. 

At CIH, we have long supported action to address the loopholes that allow poor practice in exempt accommodation and are strong proponents of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. We were pleased that the government recently published its consultation on the draft regulations for the incoming licensing regime and hope to now see the momentum needed to give local authorities the powers to enforce against rogue provision and end this scandal.  

Though welcome and overdue, this is not the only part of the Act, or the sector, that needs the government’s attention. Currently, local authorities across England are preparing supported housing needs assessments and strategies that will outline what provision is necessary in areas to meet local housing need. This brings with it the opportunity for the government to review how supported housing is funded, to support quality provision and set forward a long-term vision for supported housing and ensure that everyone has a safe place, that meets their needs, to call home.